Value creation of hedge fund activism and the impact on long term returns and volatility of the target company

Abstract

This study provides new evidence on value creation ability of hedge fund activism and its effects on target firm’s riskiness and long-term returns. With the data-set from SEC Edgar 13D filings 215 events were identified and tested about the common beliefs that hedge fund activism increases the medium- and long term volatility of the target and adversely affects target company’s long term returns. The findings suggest that neither belief is supported by the data. In fact, targets are able to maintain the abnormal returns in the long term as well, which indicate about the value creation ability of hedge fund activists. The results are mainly consistent with existing literature but also offer some new evidence about negative correlation between target firms’ returns and the value premium after the activist intervention.